The equities markets were mixed in New York at midday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.2 percent higher to 12,638.03, but the Nasdaq Composite had dropped 0.6 percent to 2,455.52 and the S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent to 1,443.95.

National Semiconductor dropped 4.3 percent to $22.31 after it reduced its guidance for its fiscal third quarter. It wasn’t the only decline in the sector, as 17 of the 19 companies listed on the Philadelphia Semiconductor index were lower on the session, taking the index 1.4 percent lower to 460.83.

Earnings reports were in focus. Avon Products, the cosmetics company, added 9.2 percent to $37.82 after it reported its first profit in six quarters. Net income was at $184.1 million, up from $183.2 million in the previous quarter. But Emerson Electric dropped 1.3 percent even though it reported that its profits were up by 12 percent in its fiscal first quarter. Duke Energy held steady at $20.28 despite reporting that its net income in the fourth quarter was down by 36 percent.

Cisco Systems dropped 1 percent to $27.24 ahead of its quarterly report, which was scheduled to be released after the end of the session. It is expected that it will report earnings that were 20 percent higher in the quarter.

At midday on Monday, Wall Street was running behind due to less than desirable corporate earnings reports as well as investor uncertainty about events in the Middle East. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were each 0.2 percent lower at mid-session, to 11,194.88 and 1,275.46 respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite had dropped 0.3 percent to 2,088.29.

Among the companies issuing disappointing quarterly reports were Avon and Tyson Foods. Cosmetics maker Avon was down 9.3 percent to $29.75 after it said its profits dropped by 54 percent in the second quarter. It blamed most of the decline on costs incurred during a restructuring. Meanwhile, Tyson Foods reported that it lost $52 million in the second quarter, more than had been expected. Tyson dropped 2.3 percent to $14.23.

On the other hand, health insurer Humana added 5.3 percent to $54.28 on a quarterly report that was better than had been expected.

Office Depot also had an earnings report, issued on Friday, that topped analyst estimates. By noon on Monday the office supplies retailer had added 5.4 percent to $36.20.

Coal producers were also having a good day after Merrill Lynch said that there would be more demand for coal as other energy sources cost increasingly more. Peabody Energy was 6.2 percent higher to $48.89, while Arch Coal added 7.2 percent to $37.18.

On reports that it might be purchased by Grupo Mexico, miner Phelps Dodge gained 7.2 percent to $87.40.

Computer makers were mixed on the day. Dell was 2.5 percent lower to $21.66. On the other hand, Apple Computer added 3.6 percent to $67.96 after it was upgraded from “neutral” to “buy” from Bank of America.

In the New York equities markets on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down, while the Nasdaq composite and the S&P 500 both gained slightly. Friday’s declines were due to sell-offs ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Rita.

Speculation about decreased refining capacity and economic slowdown was common even though some analysts downplayed concerns about the impact of high energy prices on the economy.

The Dow fell 0.02 percent on the day to 10,419.50, while the Nasdaq gained 0.29 percent to 2,116.84 and the S&P was up 0.06 percent to 1,215.12.

The oil and gasoline sector was up on the week, with Frontier Oil gaining 11.1 percent, Tesoro up 7.5 percent, Sunoco adding 5 percent, and Valero Energy ending the week 2.3 percent higher. Fears of rising energy costs sent several sectors down on the week.

US Steel fell 6.3 percent. In the trucking sector, Swift Transportation lost 6.9 percent. Both Swift and US Steel posted profits warnings.

Some retailers also issued warnings. Avon Products fell 15.9 percent on the week on a reduced earnings forecast for 2005, while fellow cosmetics company Estee Lauder cut its second-half sales estimate and fell 12.5 percent on the week.

Elsewhere, Palm, which makes handheld computers and smart phones, lost 16.5 percent to $29.20 in early trade and was off by 20.3 percent on the week as it warned of lower sales in the upcoming quarter.

Alcoa Aluminum lost 9.2 percent on the week, 6.4 percent of that on Friday morning on a warning that third quarter profits would not reach estimates due to higher costs and lower profits.

On the positive side, Goodyear Tire & Rubber gained 4.4 percent on Friday to $15.66 as it announced a program meant to cut costs by up to $1 billion by 2008.

The New York equities markets were down on Wednesday as crude oil prices rose yet again and as another hurricane threatens the US mainland before the business community has yet been able to assess the full impact of Hurricane Katrina.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1 percent to close at 10,378.03, the Nasdaq composite fell 1.2 percent to 2,106.64, and the S&P 500 fell 0.9 percent to 1,210.20.

The oil sector defined the downward trend of the day. Chevron was up 0.4 percent to $64.27, ExxonMobil rose 0.7 percent to $64.97, Murphy Oil gained 2 percent to $50.92, and ConocoPhillips added 2.2 percent to $70.43. Among refiners, Valero Energy gained 3.6 percent to $113.14, while Sunoco was up 4.5 percent to $78.10.

Another notable gainer on the day was FedEx, which gained 8 percent to $83.15 on an upgraded earnings forecast for the year to May 2006.

Among losers was cosmetics company Avon Products, which fell 11.8 percent to $27 as it became the latest company to blame a cut it its forecast for earnings this year on higher oil costs.

Among department stores, Sears lost 3.7 percent to $115.15 and Wal-Mart dropped 1.7 percent to $42.49.

At least part of this downtrend was due to a warning from the National Retail Federation that holiday sales growth in the US would be only 5 percent this year, compared to last year’s growth of 6.7 percent.

This smaller growth forecast was blamed on falling consumer sentiment. In the airlines sector, Continental Airlines fell 8.6 percent on the day to $9.91 as Houston, one of its hubs, prepared to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Rita.